Accra, March 10, GNA - Forty-three people from five West African countries have been awarded scholarship by the Australian government as part of its AusAid (Australia Aid) programme. The beneficiaries who will mostly undertake two-year advanced courses in Health, Agric and Food Security, Public Sector Reform and Mining and Natural Resources, were selected from Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and the Gambia.

In a pre-departure briefing to the awardees on Wednesday, Mr. Billy Williams, Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, said the main objective of the scholarship offer was to enable developing countries to reduce poverty and advance human development in critical areas by 2015. These areas include Law and Order, Health, Education, Gender Equality, Rural Development and Environment and Infrastructure. He noted that the Australian government, through AusAid had provided official development assistance to some 75 countries with strong focus on the Asia pacific region.

Mr. Mathew Pritchard, Coordinator for Australian Development Scholarship in Africa, took the beneficiaries through the requirements as foreign students in Australia. He urged them to spend their stipends wisely in order not to be found wanting in a foreign land. 10 March 10